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Photo by Sera Frederick / Commissioner Ron Engele gave the ejection signal at the April 25 meeting as shown in this file photo to have NSBNews.net removed from the meeting. Two weeks later, he was a no-show and Mayor Mary Lee Cook apologized publicly to NSBNews.net for Engele's boorish and illegal behavior, adding the rest of the commission was guilty as well for not standing up to him.OAK HILL -- Without explanation, department head supervision of the police department was switched from Commissioner Ron Engele to newly appointed Commissioner Douglas Gibson tonight.
Engele was returned to department head supervisor of roads and bridges. Gibson, who was appointed by the commission at a special meeting Friday told NSBNews.net after Monday's meeting he had "no idea" why this occurred. Gibson, though, said he wasn't opposed to it since he is a retired trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol and believes his experience in law enforcement should benefit the city.
There was no actual vote, just a consensus among commissioners Engele, Gibson, Kathy Bittle, Linda Hyatt and Mayor Mary Lee Cook.
After the switch, Engele asked Hyatt if she's be willing to switch with him and give up her department head supervision of planning and zoning, but she declined.
Three weeks ago, Hyatt asked Engele to consider resigning altogether from his commissioner's post, but he refused.
Hyatt's request came one week after Engele demanded the removal of NSBNews.net and former City Clerk/Administrator Virginia Haas with Police Chief Diane Young escorting the web editor and Haas from the building. Two weeks ago, Mayor Mary Lee Cook issued a public apology to NSBNews.net, saying Engele had no authority or right to demand anything on his own and that she and commissioners Linda Hyatt and Kathy Bittle were all "guilty" for not standing up to him.
Engele was a no-show at that meeting during which Oak Hill resident Michelle Tyulyki asked the mayor and commissioners to force Engele to step down. But attorney Scott Simpson said at that meeting via telephone that the only way Engele could be removed was through a voter recall. The city attorney did not make himself available by phone at Monday night's meeting. He hasn't been to a commission meeting in two months.
Engele's tenure on the commission has been a rocky one since he gained the seat when incumbent Bill Marcello pulled out at the last minute which averted an election.
On April 24, the day before Engele's tirade, he was ordered by a Sheriff's deputy to leave the scene of a one-vehicle horrific DUI crash in which the driver was trapped while Oak Hill Sgt. Brian Riley desperately tried to free him from the mangled wreck. Volusia County firefighters were able to get him out and he survived.
Weeks earlier, Engele showed up at the scene of a downed power line and started barking orders at Young and two officers. A source who asked not to be identified said Engele was "standing up drunk" and allowed to leave by the police chief.
Young later declined comment and Engele later told NSBNews.net he had only had a "half a beer" and that he was concerned about two small children being near the lines. The sources disputed that explanation as the reason for his aggressive behavior.
Engele readily agreed to take on department head supervision of the police force after then-Mayor Darla Lauer in March said she had had enough of the sniping from Young, whom she was opposed to getting the top cop's position 15 months ago because of her admitted past cocaine use.
Lauer abruptly stepped down in April, saying she was fed up with the commission's 3-2 support of Young, whom she twice asked to resign because of issues in the police department that led to the outright firing of demoted Sgt. Mike Ihnken in March and just two days later, the suspending of Sgt. Manuel Perez by Young, accused of stealing gas from the city pump.
To this day, Perez's suspension has not been publicly discussed or acknowledged by the commission.
NSBNews.net was the lone media outlet at Monday night's commission meeting.
NSBNews.net, also known as VolusiaNews.net, provides Volusia County 24 / 7 Internet newspaper coverage, 100% free with breaking news, news of record and investigative reports from New Smyrna Beach, FL, for a 21st-century digital world.